Name: Benjamin Gutman

 

Hometown: Northbrook, IL

 

AAE Major/Minor Concentration: Propulsion and Design, respectively

 

Student Classification: Junior

 

Name and location of company where you are on co-op: Innovative Scientific Solutions at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Dayton, OH

 

Describe your job duties: Innovative Scientific Solutions conducts a great deal of fundamental propulsion and combustion research that has an immediate impact on the warfighter. My work includes hands-on work in the lab as well as using CAD software to design and analyze different parts of the test section.

 

Why did you want to do this co-op? My main interest within the aerospace field is propulsion and the Air Force conducts a lot of cutting edge research in this area. At Purdue, I work at Zucrow Labs, researching combustion alongside Professor Sojka from the ME department. Having learned a great deal from this experience, I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to apply what I know as well as become more familiar with other facets of propulsion. 

 

What do you hope to gain from this experience? A significantly better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of combustion and its application for future technologies. Additionally, I would like to further develop my problem solving skills.

 

What are you ultimate career goals? I hope to further my education by going to graduate school once completing my undergraduate. From there, I would like to join an R&D position in the field of propulsion.